Mark Rawden, and his associates over at Examiner.com (http://www.examiner.com), are running their own NBA Season Preview for each team in the NBA prior to the beginning of the regular season. Here's a look at the the 2009-10 Orlando Magic, and a Q&A with Examiner Kenny Samsel: (http://www.examiner.com/x-10630-Boston-Celtics-Examiner~y2009m9d30-QA-on-the-Cs-with-Magic-Examiner-Kenny-Samsel) Q1: With Orlando upsetting the Celtics and Cavaliers en route to the NBA Finals, how do you feel Boston has done to try and take back the Eastern Conference Championship?MR: I think that the Celtics, mainly Danny Ainge, did an excellent job. The Celtics needed to get rid of some dead weight (goodbye Gabe Pruitt, Mikki Moore, Steph Marbury) and needed to improve the bench (Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels) at the same time. They also lost Leon Powe, which hurts, but he wouldn’t have had a spot anyway due to the addition of Sheed and the re-signing of Big Baby.The Celtics’ main concern is health. I realize that the Celtics’ defense for last year’s failure has gotten repetitive and stale, but if they had KG and Leon Powe (everyone forgets that he was out for the entire Magic series and most of the Bulls series), the Celtics would have definitely made it to the Eastern Conference Finals. If they stay healthy, and their additions mesh nicely with the existing roster, then Boston’s only worry will be a minor one, and it revolves around the backup point guard spot. If Danny addresses that, then we’re golden.KS: Along with the San Antonio Spurs, and Orlando Magic, I think the Celtics have had one of the best off-seasons. Although a lot of the hype went to the Rasheed Wallace signing, the real gem came from their acquisition of Marquis Daniels. The Celtics are getting older, and as great as KG, Pierce, and Allen are, they didn’t have any other guns to rely on if fatigue or injury kick in. But with Daniels, that all changes. Watching him in Indiana, I was thoroughly impressed with his slashing ability, as well as knack for hitting the jumper. With a young stable of Big Baby, Daniels, and Eddie House, Boston immediately vaulted over Cleveland as a power in the East. Now, have they surpassed Orlando? I’m not ready to say that just yet. The Magic have had an absurd amount of roster moves this summer (Brandon Bass, Jason Williams, Matt Barnes, Ryan Anderson, and oh yeah, Vince Carter), so, until I see how they mesh together on the court, I can’t say whether the Cs have surpassed them yet.Q2: How do you feel the Celtics compare with the likes of not only Orlando, but Cleveland, Miami, and Atlanta in the Eastern Conference?MR: The Celtics are superior to Atlanta and Miami because of Boston’s defense and veteran leadership. Cleveland and Orlando are a different story.Cleveland will pose a problem simply because of LeBron. Kendrick Perkins can do a nice job on Shaq, but Shaq is a wild card anyway. Who knows how he’ll hold up over the course of the season? He played well last year, but I’m still not convinced that he’ll easily be able to join his game with LeBron’s. Let’s not forget that Shaq’s other partners in crime were 2-guards: Kobe and Dwyane Wade. Those guys hung around the perimeter and could hit jump shots as well as cut to the hole. LeBron is a guy who gets the ball all over the floor, often times at the same spot as Shaq does, and they may simply end up getting in each other’s way. If that happens, Boston won’t have much to be worried about. If they manage to become a lethal one-two punch, then Boston’s defensive ability and new bench depth will be their only hope. For Orlando, I’m obviously glad that Turk is gone. And trading off the defensive-minded and energetic Courtney Lee, plus Rafer Alston are also pluses for Boston in my book. Lee can and will disrupt Ray Allen and Marquis Daniels, as he has the speed and savvy to disrupt their different offensive styles. Vince, on the other hand, is an offensive force who will occasionally block a shot or get a rebound. If he struggles with his shot, he’ll be a non-factor in all facets of the game. He can carry a team at times, so that’s obviously something to worry about, but otherwise I like the trade from a Celtics perspective. Plus, Perk has shown that he can do a good job against Dwight Howard. A healthy KG, an angry Pierce, a determined Rondo, and a hungry Sheed are enough for the Celtics to get the edge over Orlando, in my opinion.KS: I completely agree with the assessment of Cleveland, and while Boston is currently ahead of the likes of Miami and Atlanta, they are going to be dangerous if they get that “no one gives us a chance” mentality (i.e. the ’07 New York Giants Rule).To read the rest of Mark's Q&A, click here. (http://www.examiner.com/x-10630-Boston-Celtics-Examiner~y2009m9d30-QA-on-the-Cs-with-Magic-Examiner-Kenny-Samsel)